Revelation Of The Hidden; The Photography Of Greg Gorman

For the last 30 years, Greg Gorman has spent his working life capturing great
portrait images. To many, the very essence of his work centers around and draws
strength from the celebration of fame, fortune, and position. It is true that
his most recognizable images are the faces of the famous, but dig a little deeper
and you will find that his imagery goes beyond the mere representation of celebrity.

For him, the process of portrait shooting, in its purest form, is based on
the notion of simplification. This approach sees Gorman meticulously filtering
life's visual distractions from the frame so that the true essence of
the sitter has the chance to shine through. "I simplify what's included
in the frame," Gorman says. "I minimize backgrounds and simplify
clothes so that I can concentrate on drawing out the essence of the person I
am photographing." It is a style that has served him well and one that
he has honed to perfection over years of creating memorable images.

But filtering is only part of the story. It sets the stage for the more difficult
aspect of the task, that of actually capturing the essence of the sitter. Gorman's
modesty leads you to believe that if you remove all visual distractions, then
great images will surely follow, but this statement falls short in acknowledging
one very important component of the process--the rapport that is essential
between photographer and sitter. Any shooter charged with the task of creating
an engaging portrait knows that it is here that the true skill is needed, and,
by example, it is the place where the core of Gorman's humbly expressed
talent lies.

Philip Johnson

The relationship between image-maker and sitter is one of those areas of photography
that is difficult to define. It is not just a task of making the sitter comfortable
with the studio environment and the photographic process--although for
many images this is a good starting place--it is more concerned with quickly
establishing trust and an unstated consent to capture not just the surface,
but also that which is not seen, or easily revealed. The best portrait images
are visual demonstrations of the success of this interaction.

By stripping out of the frame all the nonessential elements, Gorman provides
the visual space needed for the audience to maintain focus on his portraits
without distraction. Against this muted canvas the skill with which he designs
his often simple, but highly descriptive, lighting is amplified, and the audience
is able to gain access to subtle visual nuances born of his interaction with
the sitter. These insights provide access to the essence of oft-seen faces.
His skill is to contrast and reveal.

Chris Rock

Halle Berry

The Greg Gorman Workflow
For Gorman, the workflow starts the moment he is commissioned for the project.
Planning is key as he steps his way through the various aspects of the shoot
in advance, considering lighting, environment, and, of course, the subject.
Being organized means that he can make the most of his time spent with the subject.
Robb Carr, a long-time friend and retoucher, says that Gorman's real gift
reveals itself in this part of the process, "Greg, through his own personal
magnetism, is able to elicit the subject's best `face.' Capturing
and cloaking it in his inimitable photographic language is almost an afterthought."

He shoots multiple photos during the session, passing memory cards to an assistant
who then downloads the images ready for preliminary editing. Using primarily
high-end Canon gear, both raw and JPEG files are captured and downloaded. After
selecting the best images, often in consultation with the sitter and/or art
director, Gorman makes quick, broad, editing changes to the JPEG files that
will indicate the artistic thrust and direction for Carr to take when retouching
the raws. The relationship between photographer and retoucher is a close one.
Carr says, "Our long association affords us a verbal shorthand where Greg
need only convey a few adjectives from which I can draw a mental pathway to
the retouching process."

Al Pacino

Gorman is a photographer who believes that despite the fact that he initiates
the photographic process, and retains auteur-like control over the entire performance,
the work is the result of a team effort. Of course, the capture component is
key, but Gorman is magnanimous about the importance of the involvement of others,
such as Carr. It is obvious that the passion for the production of great images
is shared equally between the two friends and it is one of the elements that
fuels this highly productive relationship. Whenever possible, Carr is present
at the shooting session to assess the subject's three-dimensional physicality
and to gather a sense of their energy.